Cleopatra Entertainment, with sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has locked into May 10 as the domestic Blu-ray and DVD debut date for Argentinian filmmaker Santiago Fernandez Calvete’s A.K. Tolstoy's a Taste of Blood.
Acquired in June of last year, this was a real discovery by Cleopatra. Calvete has adapted Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy’s 1839 short story, “La Famille du Vourdalak,” when Tolstoy was stationed at the Russian Embassy.
Originally titled Sangre Vurdalak, it was clear that this gothic horror tale was something more than just another genre entry, it was a clear arthouse entry and began its cinematic life on the film festival circuit with stops at the Sitges Film Festival, Córdoba Film Festival, Portland Horror Film Festival and Fantaspoa 2021.
The film is so good, in a very creepy way, that Cleopatra seems to have taken certain steps to find broader exposure in the domestic marketplace. First, the title was been changed to highlight its origins and the legend of the Vurdalak curse. Next, the key role of Natalia (Alfonsina Carrocio) has been dubbed into English, with the rest of the cast still speaking Spanish (with English subtitles). It seems to work.
Filmed in rural areas of Argentina, Natalia is kept under the thumb of her father, Aguirre (Germán Palacios — Hunting Season, Possible Lives, Diary for a Tale, etc.), and is forbidden to leave the farm or see young men. Frustrated, she sneaks off to visit her boyfriend, but has a strange encounter on the road and this event triggers terror in her father’s heart.
Aguirre knows that a force of evil has come to this remote area and takes rifle in hand to go hunt it down, and cautions his family not to let him back in the house until the sun has fully risen. This admonition is not followed and the curse of the Vurdalak is unleashed upon the unsuspecting family.
As a bonus feature, the Blu-ray edition of A.K. Tolstoy's a Taste of Blood includes a CD of the film’s soundtrack.
No comments:
Post a Comment